The Sleeping Dragon
by mipela
Summary: This story develops the character of Molly, who we were introduced to in "Facing the Demons'. It shows us how even though Caroline and Kate's life now seems perfect, life can throw a curve ball when we least expect it.
1. Chapter 1

The Sleeping Dragon

Kate was walking leisurely back to the staffroom after teaching a double period of French. As she walked she could feel a presence behind her and turning around she came face to face with Beverley, who looked quite worried.

"Kate, Margaret asked me if you could spare her a few moments, she knows you are not teaching this period?"

"Sure, do you know what it's about? " Kate asked. Beverley shook her head but showed a concern for Kate that she previously had for Caroline. Since witnessing the acerbic and judgemental way that Margaret had spoken to Caroline about Kate being on the stage, she had taken to 'watching over Kate' at school. She made a point of finding her during recess or lunch a few times a week on the pretext of asking about Flora. She was missing Caroline very much too and was always eager for news of her.

"Would you please tell her that I will just go and put my stuff on my desk and nip to the loo and then I'll be there? Thanks."

A few minutes later Kate walked into Margaret's office and saw a woman who was clearly upset. Her eyes had dark circles under them and she appeared to have lost quite a bit of weight in the month since she started at Sulgrave. Kate rarely saw her up close as she was very busy in her new role as Head of Languages, and now that Caroline was no longer there, she had no need to pop into the Principal's office.

Margaret got up from her desk and came around the other side, gesturing to Kate to sit facing her. Kate sat down and was about to ask what the meeting was about when she noticed Margaret's eyes filling with tears. There were quite a few minutes of silence while Margaret tried to compose herself. Kate could sense a deep sadness in this woman's being.

"Kate what I am about to tell you is of a very personal nature and I know I really don't have a right to, but I don't know where to turn. " Tears began to run down her cheeks and again she needed a few moments to compose herself. Kate sat quietly waiting, wondering what could be coming. She did feel some sense of relief that it was a personal matter and not some professional hiccup that she might have to account for. Falteringly, Margaret started to speak, "do you remember me asking if Caroline had told you about my conversation with her at Oxford about having feelings for another woman?" Kate replied softly,"Yes I do."

"Well that someone I was having the feelings for was actually Caroline."

Kate could feel a knot starting to form in her stomach. This was totally out of the blue and she was not quite sure how to respond. There were all kinds of emotions starting to swirl around.

Margaret Flynn had arrived at Oxford from a rather sheltered home life. Her parents were very devout Christians who had a rather puritanical outlook on life although no-one would say that Margaret and her sister were not loved and well cared for. Both girls had attended a church run primary and grammar school which had upheld and reinforced their parent's attitude to life. As teenagers they had been allowed to go to youth groups and dances but these had always been run by the church they attended, under strict supervision. Margaret had never really bothered about having a boyfriend, she felt distinctly disinterested and put all her energy into gaining the marks she needed for university.

Margaret had succeeded in getting into Oxford and had opted to live in one of the university colleges. It was soon after university began that she met Caroline, who was residing in the same college, and her life began to unravel. It was orientation week and Margaret had walked into a large auditorium and searched for a spare seat. Her eyes had rested on a young smart looking woman and she had asked to sit beside her. Caroline Dawson had welcomed Margaret to the seat beside her and the two of them had shared stories of where they were from and what subjects they were going to read. Caroline was reading Chemistry and Margaret, Ancient History. They chatted comfortably and when the orientation was finished, went off to have coffee.

Margaret recalled this meeting for Kate who had listened intently while trying to visualise a young beautiful Caroline, asking herself if she could have been any more beautiful than she was now.

"So it was actually Caroline that you started to fall for? Did she realise it?" Kate asked.

"No, I really tried hard not to let her know how I felt. Caroline was quite popular in our social group and I know she did have one woman that she seemed to have a special relationship with, but you know Kate I was so naive that I would not have known if it was anything more than a friendship." Margaret replied.

"So if you don't mind me asking, what is it that you are so upset about now and how do you think I can help." Kate asked.

Margaret's eyes filled up again and Kate noticed that she was almost wringing her hands in her lap.

"When I saw Caroline in the staffroom the day I came for my interview, it was as if my heart stopped. I had an idea it might be her when I saw the name on the letter I received but I wasn't sure, as somewhere in the back of my mind I heard she had married someone called John Elliot. When she shook my hand, it was like electricity running through me. How could that happen after all these years Kate? It scared the hell out of me and it has been haunting me ever since."

Kate spent some moments trying to take in what Margaret had just said. Having feelings for Caroline twenty five years ago was one thing, but being so affected by her still was another. She was torn between feeling sorry for Margaret and feeling jealousy rising in her. She even found herself saying in her head, 'back off lady this is my wife you are talking about'. Kate composed herself and said, " May I call you Molly seeing that we are talking on a personal level? Caroline always refers to you as Molly."

"Yes that's fine; I haven't been Molly in my own head for the last twenty five years, but since setting eyes on Caroline again I feel as though I have been forcibly sucked back down a time tunnel and right now it is a very scary place to be."

Kate's thought at this time was 'this is definitely one for Amy, not me. I would be way out of my depth'

Amy had been in the same year as Kate at Durham and they had taken one or two foundational courses together in their first year, but Kate had gone on to study Modern Languages, and Amy, Psychology. They had become good friends and had hung out in the same social group. Kate's close friends were a very eclectic bunch; they studied hard but also played hard. Amy in contrast was a rather more serious person, more mature in her approach to life but genuinely sweet and caring. Kate thought a lot of her and liked to spend quiet time having a coffee or going for a long walk together. Amy kept her relationship cards close to her chest and while Kate knew she was seeing people, they never appeared socially in their group. In second year, Kate began a relationship with Greg and this took her away from Amy quite a lot and it was only very occasionally they would sit down for a quiet chat.

After leaving Durham, the two of them had kept up only loose and infrequent contact with each other but neither of them would ever want to lose touch completely. Kate had followed Amy's career with interest and had no hesitation in suggesting Caroline go to her for help.

Kate was brought back from her silent musings when Molly said, "Seeing Caroline again, it feels like a sleeping dragon has been woken in me Kate. It is consuming me and I am even struggling to keep on top of my work."

"I know exactly what you mean Molly. It was so hard for me when I fell in love with Caroline. Each day I would drive to school wondering if I would see her, how I could engineer bumping into her. The number of pathetic excuses I found to have to go and see her were really something. I think Beverley realised what was going on and could always find me a 'slot' in Caroline's busy diary".

It wasn't until Kate realised that Caroline was actually falling in love with her too that things became easier. Kate could concentrate on her work more knowing that she would see her after school or in the evenings. Suddenly it dawned on Kate that they were actually talking about being in love with the same woman. This could turn out to be a very tricky situation.

"Molly, what am I going to say to Caroline?" Kate asked rather tentatively. She wanted to make it clear to her that there was no way she could keep this from her wife as it was not a burden that she fancied carrying alone, not to mention that it could become rather unprofessional and compromising at school.

"Do you think I should tell Caroline?" Molly asked through a fresh set of tears. "I haven't even mentioned any of this to Doug, my husband and he knows there is something wrong. He keeps asking me and I just fend him off with the excuse that things are busier than I expected at school. He knows very little about my life at Oxford. So much of it was taken up trying to fight off the feelings and attraction I was experiencing. I had to stop seeing Caroline and her friends in the end as I couldn't bear to be near her. Now when I see you at school it comes flooding back. If she had still been with John it wouldn't be so bad but seeing you two together, how in love you are and how strong your commitment is well..." She couldn't continue.

Kate warmly squeezed Molly's hand and told her that she had to go to class. Before leaving she said, "How about I mention this to Caroline this evening and then you and I can talk about it again when you feel up to it." Molly simply nodded and walked to the window and looked out with her back to Kate. "Thank you, please close the door on your way out and would you mind asking Beverley to hold my appointments and calls for a while."

Today Kate was alone on the journey home as Lawrence was at Rugby practise; she pulled up in the drive and noticed that Caroline's car was there. She had been lecturing at Leeds today and her time for getting home was unpredictable. It meant that Flora would be home too as Caroline always picked her up if she was early. Kate would have to re-focus herself now to attend to her wife and daughter and the revelation would have to wait until they were alone later.

She walked into the house with her arms full of folders and books. Caroline came into the hall with Flora on her hip and helped Kate unload the keys and books she was juggling. Once free she pulled Kate close and kissed her deeply. She never tired of the thrill she felt each time their lips met and she knew this woman was hers.

After releasing Kate and strolling into the kitchen, Caroline put the kettle on and handed Flora to her mummy. Kate nuzzled and kissed her daughter who giggled with delight. "How was your day?" Caroline asked casually.

"Interesting." Was all Kate said. Caroline looked at her quizzically but then went on to start making dinner and getting Flora's tea ready. Kate went upstairs and changed into something more comfortable. When she came back into the kitchen she said, "We need to talk later Caroline. I had a conversation with Molly today and there is something I need to tell you."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Kate was glad it was Friday night. Lawrence was out with Angus and Flora tucked up in bed, dinner was over and the clearing up done. Caroline was lying on the couch with her legs draped over Kate and they were enjoying some well earned quiet together.

"Ok let's have it. What's all this about Molly?" Caroline asked in a matter of fact voice.

Kate relayed the encounter, complete with Molly's emotional state and her own reactions to what she had been told. Caroline's jaw dropped as listened to the details, "Oh my God Kate I had no idea that she had ever felt that way about me, how upsetting for both of you."

"So what I would like to know wife of mine, who is this secret girlfriend you had at Oxford that you have never told me about?" Kate asked with fake outrage.

Caroline stayed silent for a few moments and then began to tell Kate the story of her first sexual awakening. Annabelle (or Bella as she was known) was a post graduate student who used to run small tutorial groups for one of the professors. She was a tall, lean, auburn haired beauty and Caroline had felt an instant attraction for this woman which had quickly turned to lust she was afraid to say. The attraction had proved to be mutual and a relationship had started. For Caroline it was like love at first sight; she had grown ever more dependent on Bella and could hardly bear to be away from her, to the point where she believed that this was what she wanted for the rest of her life. However, for Bella it seemed it was just another conquest and after a couple of months she had dispensed with Caroline and taken up a new attraction. Caroline explained that this was the time she had gone home from Oxford so upset and had confided in her mother, who of course had steered her back on to what she thought was the 'right path'. A few weeks after returning to Oxford, Bella became a distant memory for Caroline.

"Wow darling, that must have been so hard." Kate said as she wound her arms around her wife's waist and lifted her face towards her, kissing her tenderly, thinking as she did, 'how could anyone trade this woman in'. After a few kisses, Kate pulled away and said. "Caroline what are you going to do with this revelation from Molly? More to the point how am I going to deal with it at school?"

"Well I guess we need to try to support her somehow as she's obviously not coping. Do you think I should ring her or see her? Caroline asked, searching for her own reactions. She felt a little flattered, a little inquisitive and had the distinct feeling that she wanted to know more about what had happened with Molly at Oxford.

After much deliberating, they decided that Kate would see Molly on Monday and tell her that Caroline was willing to meet with her if she wished to talk about it. Kate would withdraw from the situation as she was feeling too conflicted. She would however give her Amy's details in case she needed some professional help.

They spent the rest of the weekend doing what they loved most, spending time together with Lawrence and Flora, watching Lawrence play rugby and then a pizza lunch with him and Angus; the afternoon trip to the park so that Flora could have a swing and play in the sand. These were the moments that made their life real and committed and forever. It wasn't until they were in bed on Sunday night that Kate brought the subject up again.

"I'm feeling quite apprehensive about seeing Molly tomorrow, Caroline." She had whispered as she lay in Caroline's arms. "Do you think you could contact her during the day so that we can sort all this out and put it behind us?"

"Yep I can because tomorrow I am working from home and so I'll have time. I'll wait until Flora goes down for her morning sleep, so that will give me a chance to talk without interruption and you a chance to catch her in the morning." Caroline answered, slowly and gently slipping a hand inside Kate's pyjamas and whispering, "Before I speak to her, let's be clear about who I belong to."

The next morning when Kate arrived at school she went straight to Beverley's office and asked if she could see Margaret. Beverley ducked into the Principal's office and a few moments later came out and nodded for her to go in. On the way to work in the car she had been thinking of her and Caroline's love making the night before, and it had given her the strength to go in and offer Molly a chance to speak intimately to Caroline about her feelings for her, not something Kate was overly comfortable with if the truth were known. She took a deep breath and went in.

"Kate, how are you? I trust you had a relaxing weekend?" Molly enquired. "Yes I did thanks, although I must admit both Caroline and I did spend a fair while talking about you and how best we feel we can support you." Kate replied. "Caroline is going to call you this morning; it's up to you if you would like to talk with her. I, or should I say we feel that it would be best if I step back from this as it really doesn't concern me specifically. If you were to feel you need some professional help, I have someone I could recommend." It all came out rather quickly but Kate was quite anxious and wanted it over and done with.

Molly seemed rather more composed than she had on Friday. She thanked Kate for her support and said that she would make a decision about speaking to Caroline later, if and when she rang. She also shared that she had spoken with Doug over the weekend and confessed everything to him. Apparently he was very shocked and had asked for some space and time to process the bombshell his wife had just dropped. To Kate, Molly may have looked composed but her voice and eyes betrayed a woman in a world of pain.

Around eleven o'clock, Beverley transferred a call to Molly. As she picked up the phone and heard Caroline's voice, she was again sucked into the vortex of time travel and found herself back in Oxford listening to the woman she had fallen so madly in love with. Yes, over the weekend and after much reflection she had realised that she hadn't just had feelings for Caroline but had been in love with her.

"Molly, how are you?" Caroline asked. "Oh you know I've been better Caroline. I'm so sorry that I have dumped all this on to you and Kate. It is so overwhelming and I'm not sure I know how I can go on." Molly had shared in a voice so strained and sad that it brought tears to Caroline's eyes.

After what seemed a long silence, Caroline proposed that the two of them have dinner together and they made a date for Wednesday evening. They would go to a restaurant in Leeds after Caroline finished lecturing and that way they were less likely to encounter people they knew.

As Wednesday came closer, Kate appeared to get more and more anxious about Caroline's dinner date. Going out with an old friend was one thing but an old friend who has just told you that they are still in love with you is another. Of course she trusted Caroline implicitly but who knew what Molly's expectations might be. Caroline had, continually reassured Kate that all would be ok and was now starting to get a little irritated that she couldn't accept it.

Molly had taken the time to dress in what she felt to be her most attractive outfit that morning and couldn't understand why she was doing it. Shouldn't she be trying to look as least attractive as possible? Doug was barely speaking to her and had gone off to have a long session with their priest to try to get a handle on how he should go forward. Not only did he feel betrayed, he also knew that in his mind his wife's feeling were, well the best he could say, 'not normal'.

Caroline parked the car and walked to the restaurant. It was a small one that she and Kate had sometimes gone to before they lived together. It had small areas which were quiet and relatively private. Molly was already inside waiting for her. She handed the waiter her coat and walked over to the table where Molly already had a drink in front of her. "Dutch courage." She said as she noticed Caroline looking at her glass. Molly stood up and the two hugged each other, Caroline releasing herself from the hug as soon as she could. On the drive to the restaurant it had dawned on her that she did not have feelings for Molly nor had she ever. However, the last thing she wanted to do was hurt the woman or even worse make her feel pitied.

As Caroline sat down her phone pinged, a message, and she had no doubt who it would be from. She looked at it quickly; it simply said 'thinking of you – love you K &amp; F xx.

They ordered their food and a bottle of wine and began a rather mundane conversation trying to catch up with all that had happened in their lives since leaving Oxford. Most of it was about jobs, houses and kids. As they ate, Molly slowly began to unravel all that she had been through in Oxford. She had fallen for Caroline almost as soon as she set eyes on her in the auditorium that day and because she had never had a relationship of any kind before, she was completely consumed by her feelings which terrified her. Then when Caroline had suggested to her that she pursue the relationship and see where it went she did not have the strength or courage to tell her the truth or in fact to let herself try. Her parents' absolute disapproval plus that of her church meant that she would be completely alone if she went ahead. Not going ahead came at great price. She confided in Caroline that she had indeed been on anti-depressants and had even contemplated leaving Oxford altogether.

Caroline listened intently to all Molly was telling her. She felt a kindred spirit to a degree but could only thank God that she had been able to free herself, with Kate's help, to now live the life she was meant to. As Molly finished talking, tears welled up in her eyes and Caroline found herself putting her hand over her friend's across the table. It was a mistake, as she entwined her fingers around Caroline's and held on tightly, staring at her as only a woman in love would do. It was like she was pleading with Caroline for a chance to be near her.

Back at Conway Drive, Kate felt the knots tightening in her stomach. It was already ten thirty and there was no sign of Caroline and her phone was switched off.


	3. Chapter 3

The Final Chapter

Kate's phone suddenly burst into life and she quickly grabbed it from the bedside table. Caroline's picture came up on the screen and she heaved a sigh of relief. "Christ Caroline where the hell have you been?" She almost screamed down the phone, and without waiting, "have you any idea what you've put me through the last two hours?"

"Kate, can you hear me? I'm having trouble hearing you, I am on my way home but I'll be another twenty minutes or so. Don't worry darling I'm OK." And with that the line went dead again.

The evening had taken some bizarre twists and turns and Caroline was desperate to get home and away from the tangle she had been in over the past hour and a half.

She had struggled to get Molly to let go of her hand at the dinner table and was acutely aware that some patrons were beginning to notice, even from a distance, that these two women could be having some sort of a lover's tiff. Molly had eventually let go and subsequently ordered a large whisky, and then another. Caroline had declined on the obvious grounds that she had to drive home.

"Molly, I need to say very clearly to you that there is no possibility you can be in my life. I see your pain and dare I say it, the longing in your eyes, but you must know that I am head over heels in love with my wife. Yes Molly, my wife. Kate isn't some girlfriend that I am experimenting with; she and I have been to some dark places in the last twelve months as we tried to come to terms with what our relationship is and how much we wanted it to work; not to mention nearly losing her to the accident. I have thought a lot about you in the last few days and I think you are in love with what you see between Kate and me, not me particularly. It has stirred up what you have repressed all these years and as I was the last woman you felt this way for, you think you are still in love with me."

Molly couldn't have known that before starting this conversation, Caroline had gone to the bathroom and switched her phone to record. It was face down on the table and was catching everything being said. Caroline wanted Kate to know exactly what she had shared so that there could be no misunderstanding. The last thing she wanted was for Kate to be left with niggling doubts about her determination to deal with this.

"I don't know Caroline, I don't know anything anymore. I just feel so out of control and unable to move, it's like I'm paralysed. I think I'm about to lose my husband and I really don't care. Seeing you and watching you with another woman sent me spiralling back to my heartache in Oxford. It has made me question everything I thought I believed in, everything I thought was over and settled, even dead and buried." With that she ordered another whiskey.

At this point, Caroline had asked Molly where her car was and insisted that there was no way she was going to let her drive home; it was in an underground car park and should be safe until the morning. She thought briefly about ordering a taxi but decided it would be better to drive her home and make sure she didn't try anything stupid on the way. She paid the bill and then helped Molly to walk to the car which thankfully was not too far away. She carefully belted a very drunk Molly into the front seat and programmed the navigator. She thought about ringing Kate, but decided she would drop Molly off first and then let her know she was on her way home. She hadn't banked on the fact that Doug and Molly lived in a very small and isolated village up on the top of the moors. It took quite a while to navigate the small country lanes and several times the navigator had sent her off in the wrong direction.

Once she arrived at the house, she could see that there were no lights on and that made Caroline even more concerned about leaving her alone. She pulled out her phone to try to ring Kate. "Shit". There was no reception. She knew that this was going to be horrendous for Kate, not knowing where Caroline was and not able to contact her. Panic set in. She struggled to get Molly into the house and eventually got her onto the sofa, put a bottle of water beside her and covered her with a throw. She searched for Molly's landline and dialled home. It was by now after eleven. The phone was engaged which made Caroline panic even more as she suspected that Kate was trying to find her.

Kate had already phoned the restaurant only to be told that the two women had left forty five minutes before. She was now trying almost anyone she could think of and was beside herself. She thought back to the day of her accident and how the police had come to the door to inform Caroline that there had been a terrible accident and now she found herself imagining that any moment the doorbell would ring and she would be faced with the same.

Molly stirred as she was about to leave her," Caroline are you going? Are you leaving me? Please don't go, stay with me. I just need to be with you, even if it is only for one night."

"Molly you are drunk and in no fit state to talk or anything else, no doubt if we did you would regret a lot in the morning. I cannot get hold of Kate and she will be so worried about where I am. I have to go now."

Caroline pulled the door closed behind her and climbed into the car. She sat for a moment and gathered herself. 'I must get out of here to the nearest place with a signal' she thought and with that she left her phone on the seat beside her so that she would notice when the all important bars of reception came on. It was a good four or five miles before she noticed the white stripes appear and she pulled over immediately.

It took another twenty five minutes to reach home. She had called Kate again from the other side of Harrogate to let her know she was nearly there. As she put the key in the door, it flew open and Kate grabbed Caroline and held her as tight as she could. They stood locked together for several minutes both letting the relief flood through their bodies.

Later, with a stiff drink in front of her, Caroline replayed for her wife the conversation she had with Molly at the dinner table. Tears began to roll down Kate's face as she listened to the deeply committed and unambiguous way her wife had ended what could never have been. At that moment she loved Caroline more than she could ever imagine, but she also had a small reserve of compassion for the obvious pain her would be rival was feeling.

As they slid under the bedcovers together their arms were quickly around each other as they lay taking in all that had happened in a few short days.

Thursday afternoon couldn't come fast enough for Kate. She had been walking on eggshells all day hoping that she wouldn't bump into Molly. However, the deputy principal had taken the morning assembly and there was no sight of the principal.

Later as the two of them sat at the kitchen bench talking more about what had happened the night before, Caroline's phone began to ring. "Hello Gavin, this is a surprise. How are you?" she said as she shrugged her shoulders at Kate wondering what this could be about. "Margaret Connor has taken indefinite leave from the Principal's job Caroline. She cited medical problems as her reason but no-one is really sure what is going on. We know you have other work now but the board of governors and I, are wondering if you could give us a couple of days a week to keep things ticking over while we look for a full time temporary replacement? The deputy will do the day to day running of the school but we need someone with knowledge of all the committees and meetings that need to be run." Gavin waited for a response.

"Can I talk it over with Kate and get back to you?"

"Sure hopefully you could let us know by Monday."

Caroline turned to Kate and said" Wow, I thought we'd had enough drama for one week."

In London, Molly stepped off the train with her suitcase and into a taxi. After giving the driver the address she sat back and felt the terrible sadness that was slowly enveloping her. She was about to check into a private clinic run by a church group her priest had suggested she try. It was well known for its 'Conversion Therapy'. The dragon must now be put to sleep again. Caroline McKenzie-Dawson would never be hers.


End file.
